Heart of Atlanta Motel v US

Definition

A landmark Supreme Court case that decided the U.S. Congress could use the power granted to it by the Constitution's Commerce Clause to force private businesses to abide by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Analogy

Imagine a popular restaurant refusing to serve certain customers based on their appearance. Now imagine a higher authority stepping in and saying "Nope! You can't do that because your business affects interstate commerce." That's essentially what happened in this case.

Related terms

Commerce Clause: The section of the Constitution which gives Congress the power to regulate trade among states and with foreign countries.

Public Accommodations Section: Part of Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination on basis of race, color, religion or national origin in certain places open to general public like hotels and restaurants.

Interstate Commerce: Any work involving or related to cross-state business activity. It is regulated by federal laws.